DHARAMSHALA, September 10: The news of six Tibetans getting deported to China by Nepal border police on September 5th has been refuted by the vice-president of Human Rights organization of Nepal (HURON). “It seems to be a case of a miscommunicated rumour and there is no confirmation.”

The report said Tibetans arrested in Legme were taken to Similkot, the administrative headquarters of Humla district in Karnali Zone in northwestern Nepal, before being turned over to Chinese police.

HURON’s office set out to investigate after the news surfaced online and checked with police, officials and residents of Similkot. They all denied the occurrence of such incidence, it said.

What happened was a Chinese vehicle with four Chinese and two Tibetans, a passenger and a driver crossed the border followed by another vehicle 10-15 minutes later.

When the Nepal border guards told them they can’t go beyond a point, the passengers of both vehicles got down to talk and drove back together.

“The border cannot be seen clearly from the village, and the villagers may have misinterpreted the scene,” he said.

The source also said it is impossible to travel from Legme or Yala to Similkot and then turn over the asylum seekers to Chinese officials. It’s a several days’ trip to Similkot, six to four days respectively.

He added that no Tibetan in the past had been deported after reaching as far as Similkot.